The Mythos of Judicial Independence in South Sudan

By Ajo Noel Julious, Juba, South Sudan

June 28, 2015 (SSB)  —-  In the July 9, 2011 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, South Sudan adopted The Transitional Constitution of the Republic of the South Sudan. This Constitution replaced the Interim Constitution adopted in 2005 after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). These important developments occurred pursuant to the South Sudanese people’s massive vote for independence in the Referendum, a right guaranteed in the CPA.

Article 122 of the Transitional Constitution establishes the Judiciary, with its powers derived from the people and exercisable by the Courts in accordance with the Constitution and the customs, values, norms and aspirations of the populace. The Constitution ordains the Chief Justice as the head of the Judiciary and the person responsible for its administration.

The power vested in the Judiciary exists independent of the executive and the legislative branches. The language guaranteeing judicial independence in Article 122(2) of the Constitution is reiterated in Section 6 of the Judiciary Act No. 4 of 2008. The Judiciary budget is charged on the consolidated fund following approval by the National Judicial Service Commission (for more on the National Judicial Service Commission’s composition, mandate and powers, see my article in [fill in the blank]), hence having the financial independence in the management thereof.

One might ask, what exactly is judicial independence? There are of course different meanings attributable to the phrase.The most common perception is that judicial independence is the concept that the judiciary must be kept separate from the other branches of government. That is, courts should not be subject to improper influence from the legislature or the executive, or from private or partisan interests.The courts and judges should be free to exercise their powers and jurisdiction, and to perform their functions without fear from or favor to any individual or authority.

On South Sudan 2015/2016 Budget

By Malith Alier, Juba, South Sudan

June 28, 2015 (SSB)  —-  This country like other nations of the world, prepares a yearly budget that details expenditures and sources of revenues over a period of twelve months technically known as a financial year.

Simply put, the budget is a summary statement indicating the estimated amount of revenue that the government requires and hopes to raise. It also indicates the various sources from which the revenue will be raised and the projects on which the government intends to spend the revenue in a particular financial year

South Sudan’s financial year used to be from January to December before a shift to July/June in 2013 for reasons known the government alone. However, this is not a major issue for the masses because it means the same either way.

The budget fulfills three main functions as under: to raise revenue to meet government expenditure such as administration, defense, law and order, environmental and economic services.

Salva Kiir: THE GREATER WOLF OF THE NILE

By Kiir Garang (Kiir-Agou), Canada

June 28, 2015 (SSB)  —  There was once a man who dreamed about turning Sudan into a vein of riches and prosperity. He was a man of vision. His was a vision that had deep rooting in heritage and belonging. He tried his best to never let the things of the world deter him from achieving that goal. It is ironic that the things he wanted to stop from stumbling him turned out to be the things that took away his precious life. His name is Dr. John Garang; a man we all seem to adore (and for all the good reasons). Having grown up along the Nile River, he looked at our lives to be a lot better if, and only if, we pay much attention to the healthy conditioning of that particular river and more importantly, the country as a whole.

Just look at the Nile itself. Its beauty, length, importance (particularly) to the people that live a long it. You can only wonder. Lives have thrived along it for centuries. It spewed food and continues to do so to its last breathe. Fishing and water for irrigation, just to name a few, have been of great pleasure to the Nilotes. Garang, a political agriculturalist by profession, knew that we all depended on the Nile for our livelihood. Have you looked around lately? It is a pure piece of stupid joke! I don’t want to point fingers to everyone that has played a role in turning this magnificent geographical facility into a dumper but Kiir Mayardit.

If You Can’t Believe It, You Must Live It!

By Mawan Malueth, Juba, South Sudan

June 28, 2015 (SSB)  —  Giraffe city is at the heart of the most decorated state of western Bahr el Gazal, the dawn of the Saturday 20th June 2015 morning in Wau was greeted with the claps of the burglary bullets at the outskirt of the town as the police disturbed the citizen week end with stricken movement in and out of the town when a man was shot dead that night. I jumped out of my bed to figure out what the day was and what was happening.

First of the all, the day reminded me of the five years I spent in the refugee camp, celebrating this calendar day of the year was not a choice but by default as a refugee, not for good ones but to pray if one God would grant peace to my country so I cloud return home and indeed he did. And I was the first amongst those who applied for a voluntary repatriation. Now, why am I being awoken again in my country? What happened again? I know there is useless fighting across the country, but has it arrived to Wau too? Am not sure. Could it be another rebellion? No. Could it be misunderstanding between the deceased and the culprit? Another No. So, what is it then? It is a BIG Economic crisis! Believe it or Live it!

EDUCATION IS BETTER THAN SILVER AND GOLD

‘’Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world’’ Former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela

By Ter Manyang Gatwech, Kampala, Uganda

June 28, 2015 (SSB)  —  With Gold and Silver you can earn it. Education is the greatest gift owns parents gave us. With it we can earn gold and silver and even make lots of it if we can. With Gold and Silver, thieves can get it from us in whatever means even takes on life. With education, we have it as our very own treasure and no one can get it from us unless we shares it with others people.

One of the most famous quotation elaborates that silver and gold have apparently more worth than education but they decreases when you give them to others while with of education increases when you give it to others. Some people believe that gold and silver is given to those who have luck while education can be achieved by anyone who has determination and the ability to hard work. This reality should be understood by all of us because through silver and gold we cannot purchase good education but through education we can get silver and gold at one point of life.

Warrap State MPS: The Modern Theorists of Hunting Resources in Politic Political Theory

By Mangong Mawien Madut, Kampala, Uganda.

June 28, 2015 (SSB)  —  The practice of Politics differentiates who stands on what he/she believes with clear guiding principle that maintain people‘s interests who voluntarily voted him/her in parliament and who practice the politics for narrow individualistic goal. We shall take an example from these MPS of Warrap state the world‘s founders of the above theory in politic.

The recent political pregnancy in Kuajok Warrap State ‘s headquarters was so much interesting to whoever comes from Warrap state and outside Warrap. There was high expectations and euphoria of delivering better political results if the MPS we elected in to represent our inspirations cooperatively fight for an interest of Warrap citizens and not theirs.